This invention relates to a retractable screen system for a closure assembly and improvements thereof which allows the secure sliding and subsequent retraction of the screen from a operative position to a retracted position. The invention is preferably embodied in a window assembly but finds application also in large pivoting windows and patio doors.
The reader is referred to Applicants Co-pending Applications abovementioned for teachings in relation to improvements to closure assemblies, the teachings thereof which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Screens are generally provided for doors, patio doors, and windows. One particular type of screen utilized for patio doors for example, includes a metal frame having a groove disposed around its edges. The screen is affixed to the frame by using a spline, a long extended piece of flexible material, which is forced into the groove capturing the edges of the screen. The screen is then slid in front of the opening when the patio door is moved to an opened position. The screen therefore permanently blocks the view of the occupant of the dwelling. The same is true for screens provided with double-hung windows, tilt and slide windows, and casement windows. The screen generally is always in position whether the window is opened or closed.
Various examples therefore have been developed by inventors to address this problem.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,244 to Thumann describes a retractable covering for a door including a housing containing a roll of screen as best seen in FIGS. 2, 5, 6A and 6B thereof. The cover may be affixed to a door adjacent the frame thereof as an after-market product.
Another example of an after-market type of product is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,786 as best seen in relation to FIG. 6 therein, the structure is adapted to be mounted on one side of a door jamb to be releaseably connected to the other. The assembly is quite complicated and complex and may be considered as an add-on structure.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,990 provides a screen in combination with a sliding door. The screen is disposed upon a spring-loaded roller installed on the exterior of the framing sections of the opening adjacent to the window frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,852 describes a box-like housing carrying a tube for paying out and taking up a mesh screen. The housing is fastened over a window or door and is not part of the framing section of the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,797 describes a roll-up screen door included in a narrow housing containing a conventional spring-biased roll onto which flexible screen material is taken up and paid out. The housing is mounted adjacent one side of a vertical curved strip along one side of the door casement opening. The front vertical edge portion of the screen material is anchored within a vertical groove of the anchoring strip as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. Again, the housing extends from the framing section and is not part thereof. A more complex arrangement is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,359,081 and 4,261,524.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 1,150,000 to Matthews, there is described a window screen coiled on a roller for installation on a window frame. The roller for the window is illustrated in FIG. 5 including a hook portion for hooking a complementary hook portion on the screen. The other edge of the screen includes a hook portion for engaging with the trim portion 34.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,141,996 to Vanasdale describes another type of roller screen which may be attached to the sill or lintel portion of the frame by mounting brackets as best seen in relation to FIGS. 1 through 6.
None of the above-mentioned references teach or even infer the installation of a screen within the framing sections of a closure assembly such as a jamb. Each of the products may be considered as an after-market product which is installed upon, adjacent to, on or butting up against the framing section of the appropriate closure member. In essence, some of the installations are unsightly with a housing extending from the general plane of the home or window, extending either outwardly away from or inwardly toward the interior being closed by the closure member. It would therefore be advantageous to solve this problem by providing a screen assembly which may be contained within the framing sections of a closure assembly and which retracts into the frame member and which is substantially invisible until such time as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,921 describes a screen assembly having supporting elements secured along the edge of the material as best seen in relation to FIGS. 4 and 7. The structure also includes a spring-biased element which rides in a track. As best seen in FIGS. 9 through 11, the screen is considered to be an add-on, after-market device as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,890 to Kramer describes a coilable closure device as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 18 which includes a frame including a side jamb and a storage jamb, 34 and 36 respectively. The coilable closure device does not include a post and includes a multiplicity of sections as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 6 which sections include elements extending up into and down into respective track areas provided with the frame. The material which coils upon itself is particularly plastic sheet including reinforcing ribs which also act as guiding elements for the sheet. However, nowhere within the reference does it teach the use of such a structure for a screen, but merely as a closure to replace a door between adjacent rooms, for example. Nowhere within the reference does it teach the combination of a closure member such as a window or patio door and a screen. This is simply not described. Therefore, one would not be motivated to solve the problem of combinations of closure members and screens by the reading of the Kramer reference.
Nowhere therefore within the prior art is there taught improvements to screen assemblies, wherein the entire screen assembly is contained within the framing sections found adjacent to a closure member in a closure assembly, for example a window assembly. Further, nowhere within the art is there found a roll-out screen assembly embodied in a cassette which may be readily inserted within the hollow of a framing section sized to receive said cassette or screen assembly. Further, nowhere in the prior art is there manufactured a screen having an abutment on one edge thereof for engaging with a cooperative abutment on the roller of a screen assembly which may be cut to size as desired to repair a roller screen assembly. Further, nowhere within the prior art is there found various improvements to roll-up screen assemblies to simplify their installation, adjustment and replacement.
Nowhere within the prior art is such a simplified improved screen assembly provided which retracts into the jamb, sill or header of the frame portion of a window assembly in the retracted position and which is preferably guided to its operative position in guides provided with the jamb, sill or header, and which allows for the manufacture of heavier screens in larger sections without continuously covering of the window.
It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome many of the deficiencies in the prior art stated above which allows for smooth and simple operation of a retractable screen which is capable of both sliding within a guide channel between the retracted and the operative positions and which at the retracted position is fully contained within the jamb, sill or header section of the closure assembly.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a retractable screen assembly of appropriate size and construction to replace existing retractable screen assemblies for casement, double hung and/or tilt and slide windows as well as patio doors.
It is further a primary object of this invention to provide a roll-up screen embodied in the frame of a closure assembly which is retractable into the frame itself without requiring an additional housing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a roll-up screen assembly in the form of a cassette which may be mounted within the hollow of a framing section, which cassette includes a front facia portion to close the framing section.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a continuous roll of screen manufactured so as to be cut at a predetermined width and include an anchoring element disposed adjacent one edge of the screen so as to allow ease of installation of the original or replacement screen.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a screen.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a cassette which may be side mounted into an opening of the framing section and closed by an exterior facia element.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a closure assembly including a roll-up screen contained with one of its framing sections adjacent the closure member.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide improvements in mounting brackets, facia elements, and screens.
Further and other objects of this invention will become apparent to a man skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.
This invention relates to a retractable screen system for a closure assembly and improvements thereof which allows the secure sliding and subsequent retraction of the screen from a operative position to a retracted position. The invention is preferably embodied in a window assembly but finds application also in large pivoting windows and patio doors. The closure member may further comprise a window sash being a casement, double hung, or tilt and slide installation or, a door or a patio door.
There is therefore provided improvements to screen assemblies, wherein the entire screen assembly is contained within the framing sections found adjacent to a closure member in a closure assembly, for example a window assembly. Further a roll-out screen assembly is embodied in a cassette which may be readily inserted within the hollow of a framing section sized to receive said cassette or screen assembly. The screen has an abutment on one edge thereof for engaging with a cooperative abutment on the roller of a screen assembly which may be cut to size as desired to repair a roller screen assembly which simplifies their installation, adjustment and replacement.
There is also provided a simplified improved screen assembly which retracts into the jamb, sill or header of the frame portion of a window assembly in the retracted position and which is preferably guided to its operative position in guides provided with the jamb, sill or header, and which allows for the manufacture of heavier screens in larger sections without continuously covering of the window.
In a tilt and slide, casement or double hung window a retractable screen is provided disposed within the header, sill or jamb of the assembly which screen accumulates on and pays out from a spring biased roll disposed within said header, sill or jamb, the screen being retractable for egress or cleaning purposes, and available as desired by providing a detent on the opposing framing member engageable with a detent provided with the screen when in its operable position.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a window assembly comprising a retractable screen disposed within a framing portion of the assembly, the screen accumulating on and paying out from a spring biased roll disposed within said frame portion, the screen being retractable for egress or cleaning purposes, and available as desired by providing a detent on the opposite frame portion engageable with the screen when in its operable position.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a closure assembly comprising a retractable screen disposed within a framing portion of the assembly, said framing portion providing a pocket within which the screen is contained in use, said pocket being bound by three sides of said framing portion thereby forming said pocket, said pocket being closed by a separate cover closing said framing portion, preferably said retractable screen being mounted on said cover and being positioned in said pocket when the cover closing the pocket is installed preferably by clipping a detent provided with said cover in a channel provided with one of the sides of said framing portion providing the pocket, the screen accumulating on and paying out from a spring biased roll disposed within said frame portion, the screen being retractable for egress or cleaning purposes, and available as desired by providing a detent on the opposite frame portion engageable with the screen when in its operable position.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a continuous screen formed as a continuous web and adapted to be utilized for a retractable screen for windows, doors and the like having a predetermined width of screen determined by the width or length of the closure member frame, said width of said screen having two ends, preferably each of the ends having an anchor or key shaped element fixed thereto adapted to engage a detent on a handle proximate one end of the screen and adapted to engage a detent of a preferably spring biased, preferably hollow, roller utilized for taking up and letting out the screen in a coil upon said roller, alternatively the handle end of the screen alternatively having a tape or continuous strip of adhesive applied thereto so as to engage and be captured by a handle portion of said screen when utilized in a closure assembly, said screen and said anchor or key shaped elements being cut at a predetermined length to fit said roller when assembled and being installed with said closure assembly and preferably within a hollow of one of said frame sections, wherein said screen may be utilized as an original installation or as a replacement screen for an original installation.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable screen assembly for a closure assembly, said closure assembly including a closure member surrounded by framing portions from which the closure member is supported, said closure member including framing sections, one of said framing sections providing a pocket within which said screen assembly is retained in use, said screen assembly comprising a cassette engageable with the interior of a cover utilized for closing the framing portion and pocket of the closure assembly, preferably said pocket being located proximate the sealing end of the closure member, said retractable screen including a handle portion affixed thereto including a first detent, the opposite jamb from said pocket including a latching portion including a second detent which engages the first detent of the handle portion when the screen is in the fully open position, wherein said cassette may be installed within any convenient pocket disposed within the framing portions of a closure assembly and fixed in position once the cover covering the pocket is installed. In a preferred embodiment, brackets are provided having channels which capture preferably T-shaped guides on the interior of said cover which allow for the fixing of the brackets in relation to the specific screen assembly being installed, said screen assembly also including a hollow tube to which said screen is anchored via a detent on the tube and via a detent on one end of said screen, the other end of said screen including another detent for engaging with the detent of a handle portion of said assembly, said tube having inserted within the ends thereof a pin assembly which will not rotate in relation to said tube as a result of rib portions disposed with said assembly engaging rib portions disposed within the hollow of said tube, each of said pin assemblies including a pin for engaging a pin-receiving opening disposed with each of said brackets, wherein said brackets may be fixed with respect to the interior of said cover thereby fixing the entire screen assembly as a cassette, one of said brackets being adjustable in relation to said torque tube in order to allow for adjustment and variations from installation to installation, preferably said handle portion including telescoping guides which capture the ends of said screen and are retained within a hollow within said handle, said guides for riding within a channel disposed with opposite or opposing framing sections to guide the screen across the opening defined by said closure member when desired. In an alternative embodiment, the brackets may include a box-like element which rests at the bottom of a framing section and being locked in position because of the compatible dimension of the bracket with the framing section and adjustable in position in relation to that bottom in order to provide for variations in manufacturing.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling a retractable screen cassette comprising:
(1) providing a tube upon which said screen will coil up in use,
(2) providing a pin assembly insertable into the open ends of said hollow tube and being prevented from rotating with respect to said tube as ribs disposed with said tube, engaged ribs disposed with said pin assembly,
(3) providing a torsion spring having ends which are engageable with said pin assembly ends for providing the correct torsion and tensioning of said spring,
(4) inserting said spring within the hollow tube and inserting said pin assemblies within said hollow tube and fixing the ends of said pin assemblies to the tyne portions of said torsion spring,
(5) providing brackets from which said pin assemblies will be adjustably inserted, said brackets being locked in place with respect to the assembly, preferably either by engaging with a detent provided with a flexible cover or alternatively by engaging with the bottom of the framing section,
(6) adjusting said brackets in relation to the distance from one another so as to correctly tension and carry the screen assembly,
(7) fixing said screen on said screen assembly by anchoring said screen to said tube via a detent, preferably a T-shaped detent or key for engaging with a key slot on the tube or alternatively by using welding or adhesive, and coiling said screen upon said tube,
(8) fixing said opposite end of said screen to a handle portion either preferably by a T-shaped detent engaging a T-shaped detent with said handle, or by welding or an adhesive,
(9) coiling said screen upon said tube,
(10) preferably engaging said cover portion with said brackets,
(11) inserting said screen assembly within a pocket of said closure assembly in one of the framing portions thereof,
(12) covering said pocket with a flexible cover.